Feature: Batteries
Driving the EV evolution By Marcus Sampson, Business Line Manager for Transport, TÜV SÜD
G
overnments across the world have set out plans to accelerate net-zero goals, and part of this is to speed up widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
Vehicle manufacturers are now investing heavily in EV R&D to radically transform the way we drive, and battery development is at the heart of this. An EV’ battery management system
has hardware and soſtware sections, which contribute to vehicle safety and performance. Te hardware generally includes current sensing capabilities for state of charge (SoC) estimation and safety. It must also detect leakage current faults, which could render the vehicle chassis “live” and therefore highly dangerous – if not lethal. Effective fusing will also provide overcurrent protection. A pre-charge
46 June 2024
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
element should be incorporated to energise circuits via current-limiting components to minimise inrush currents. Relays and contactors will also provide safe and reliable charging connection/disconnection to and from the vehicle. Te soſtware part of the battery
management system provides the interface and communications to the vehicle (CAN bus). Te incorporation of diagnostics and health soſtware monitors SoC (under/over charge), which is important for control, safety and vehicle range estimation. State- of-health functions also determine battery degradation over time and predict end of usable life. Te soſtware controls all battery functions, including electrical isolation, thermal management, charge/discharge and cell balancing. 5G will also be a driver of smart battery maintenance, using ‘data over the air’ and
‘soſtware over the air’. Tis means that real-time data can be used to optimise battery charging and discharging and support predictive maintenance, failures and remote troubleshooting. On-the-fly soſtware updates will deal with battery ageing and extreme operating conditions, such as hot or cold environments.
Battery design Single battery cells typically come in three package styles: cylindrical, prismatic and pouch. Tese batteries are particularly sensitive to mishandling, inappropriate packaging, deformation and contamination, and can also fail due to overcharging and extreme temperatures. Repeated overcharging of a battery cell can create unwanted electrical paths and short circuits. High temperatures can drive excessive ionic flow that damages
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